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Missing North Yorkshire prisoner hunted by police

A NORTH Yorkshire man jailed for a knifepoint robbery has absconded from prison.

Police are searching for Damien Burns, 39, originally from Scarborough, after he absconded from HMP & YOI Hatfield in Doncaster.

He disappeared from the open prison on Monday evening at the same time as Dean Jackson, 27, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Officers believe they may be attempting to make their way back to their home towns as they do not have any connections in South Yorkshire.

Burns was serving an indeterminate sentence, since 2007, for a knifepoint robbery and Jackson was on remand awaiting a sentence for a theft related matter.

If seen, police would strongly advise the public not to approach either man but to make contact with South Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, quoting incident number 1009 or 1067 of 19 May 2014.